4-30-2010 Ride

Ride to and from work. Motored up the first part of the hill by work, then slowed down near the top. Need a little more endurance to make it to the top without conking out. I forgot my shoes and had to get Ann to bring them to me. O, brother!

Total mileage = 4.7 mi
Total elevation gain = 280'
http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/united-states/ca/san-diego/235124071541511611

2010 Alpine Challenge Metric Century

Got up early and drove over to John's, then we packed everything into his truck and headed to Viejas Outlet Mall. The night before, we discovered that our water heater was leaking and called out a plumber to replace it. I stayed up to help him with the job, so I didn't get a full night's rest. I did change out my tires and put on new handlebar tape. It was a little chilly when we got there. Got everything ready and took off with the rest of the riders at the starting time. By that time, it was starting to warm up. Headed up the hill to the overpass, which thinned the pack out. Waited at the top for John, then we headed off back toward Alpine. Turned on S. Grade Rd before getting downtown and eventually made our way over to Harbison Canyon Rd, which had some fairly steep downhill sections. Weather was cooperating, but around this point my right pedal started making a lot of noise. John was riding ahead in a pack, but I decided not to work too hard to catch up. Turned onto Dehesa Rd and started climbing. For most of the climbing section, I intentially kept the pace slower, to make sure I had something left at the end of the ride. Stopped at the first rest stop to regroup, then it was onto Japatul Rd for the longer climb. Overall, the climbing generally lasts from mile 16 to the turnaround at about mile 33. There are a couple of rest stops in there. On Japatul, my pedal was occasionally seizing up and making a fair amount of noise. At the turnaround, I looked at it but couldn't really figure out what was going on. Heading back to Descanso, it seized up a couple of times, then it loosened up and didn't give me any further trouble other than making noise. I kept pedaling for much of the downhill section, fearing that the pedal would lock up if I stopped. Kept it slow on the uphill sections and not too fast on the downhills. John was right there, passing me near the bottom of the overall downhill section. I caught him on the climb back into Alpine but didn't get too far ahead of him. On the initial climb, which was somewhat steep, my left quad was cramped up, which got me a little worried. However, it loosened up and was fine for most of the climb back, although I was slow. There was only one steep section on this portion, just before crossing the freeway. I took it slow, but my quad was cramping. This is where I put a little more distance between me and John. The rest of the ride was pretty easy, either downhill or slightly uphill. Finished in just under 4 hrs.

Average speed = 15 mph. Total mileage = 58.8 mi

Averarge heartrate = 154 bpm

Total elevation gain = 4370'

http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/united-states/ca/alpine/302124023600531919

4-18-10 Ride

Ride from home over to Dave's for the time trial loop with him and John. I kept it at a pretty even pace at the beginning, staying with the others, including slowing down on the gradual climb up Espola to the high school. At the steeper climbing section, I hung on Dave's wheel, but it was a challenge. Fast going down Poway Rd, mainly because we hit most of the lights. I pulled up the last stretch on this road before the turn onto Sabre Springs Pkwy, then waited again for the others to catch up. Once again, I hung on Dave's wheel up this section. I led up much of the Ted Williams Pkwy section with Dave hanging on, then we all three raced to the top of the hill on Pomerado Rd by the hospital. Dave and I took off after the crest and motored back to his house. Finished in 54:20, which was okay for me given by long layoff from riding this route. On the way home, I took a longer loop to add another mile and some climbing.

Total mileage = 24.46 mi.
Average heartrate = 155 bpm.
http://www.mapmyride.com/route/us/ca/san%20diego/514127173306563536

4-17-10 Ride

Ride from home with Dave and John. Headed over to Highland Valley Rd and up. Dave kept ahead of me in the first steep climb and finished about 20 seconds ahead of me. After that, I went ahead and stayed in front to the top of the climb. The middle section is a real killer, and I was slow going up that part. Other than that section, it wasn't really challenging. There is a steep section just by Eagles Crest, but it isn't long at all. Most of it is just slogging uphill. We gathered at the crest and rode as a group down to the 67 and up the first portion toward Mt. Woodson. Then John fell back and it was just me and Dave for a time, until he dropped off and I continued solo up to the crest by Mt. Woodson. The wind was at my back, and I really felt strong on this section of the ride. Then we rode pretty much together on the downhill section, with a little separation on the climb up to Poway Rd. Down the hill at Scripps-Poway Pkwy then back up, where we lost contact with John and waited for him. From there, we rode as a group on Pomerado, until I separated somewhat on the climb up to Twin Peaks. Turned left and took this road over to Bernardo Center Dr, then home via the route taking us by HP. I felt really good throughout this ride, which we had to cut short to get back in time for John.

Average speed = 16.9 mph. Total mileage = 37.8 mi.
Average heartrate = 154 bpm
Total elevation gain = 2120'
http://www.mapmyride.com/route/us/ca/san%20diego/920127173436489913

4-15-10 Ride

Solo ride after work, going down W Bernardo Dr and up Pomerado to the top of the hill. The last climb was slower than I'd hoped I would be able to ride it. Down Pomerado through Scripps Ranch and across the freeway, turning right on Kearny Villa Rd and taking Black Mountain Rd all the way to its dead end. There is a pretty steep section on this road, just past Mercy Rd and continuing up to the 56 overpass. I chased another rider up this section and caught him just before the crest. The rest of the Black Mountain Rd section was relatively easy. Turned left on Carmel Valley Rd and rode it down to Camino del Sur, which I took up to RB Rd. Kept up a pretty decent pace on this gradual uphill section. Took RB Rd down to W Bernardo Dr and climbed the last section back to work. That last section slowed down my average speed quite a bit. Finished feeling pretty good.

Average speed = 17.5 mph. Total mileage = 34.3 mi.
Average heartrate = 148 bpm
Total elevation gain = 1470'
http://www.mapmyride.com/route/us/ca/san%20diego/916127173467955081

4-13-10 Ride

Ride from home to church for yoga, going out through the San Pasqual Valley. I was slower on this ride than the previous week, and I don't really know why. Maybe it was because I hadn't ridden over the weekend (back in Houston visiting the parents). In any case, I really noticed it on the climb out of the valley, when I just didn't have much push in my legs. I was behind schedule and had to cut the ride short, staying on the 78 over to Idaho, then climbing up and over to Juniper and riding in to church. Not sure why my pace was so slow on this ride.

Average speed =16.4 mph. Total mileage = 19.3 mi.
Average heartrate = 154 bpm
Total elevation gain = 870'
http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/united-states/ca/san-diego/291127135468937798

4-6-10 Ride

Ride from home to church for yoga, taking the long way. Over to Highland Valley, then up to Bandy Canyon. The climb up Highland Valley was tough but not as bad as I thought it might be. Bandy Canyon over to the 78, then back into Escondido by the Wild Animal Park. The wind was swirling here and tough to ride into in places. The first part of the climb out of the San Pasqual Valley was pretty easy, then it got tough near the end, as I kept in second gear and really had to grind it out. Onto BVP, headed over to Oak Hill Rd, then turned right on Ash and left on Grand. Into downtown, left on Juniper and right on 4th to get to the church. It took me less time to ride this route that I thought it would. Because of the wind, I did a lot of pedaling and not too much coasting throughout the ride, other than the section coming down Bandy Canyon into the San Pasqual Valley. Good workout.

Average speed = 16.9 mph. Total mileage = 21.2 mi.
Average heartrate = 148 bpm (apparently low from early reading failure)
Total elevation gain = 870'
http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/united-states/ca/san-diego/301127032581696537

4-3-10 Ride

Ride from home over to Dave's house, where I met up with him, John, and Jim. We headed into Escondido and out Centre City Pkwy to Deer Springs Rd. Took this road to Twin Oaks Valley Pkwy, then turned right on Buena Creek, which we took until it dead-ended at Mission Rd. Followed Mission Rd all the way back into Escondido, turning on Washington and connecting to Centre City via Tulip and Valley Pkwy. Took normal route all the way back to Rancho Bernardo Rd, where I took a right and headed home. Jim has lost about 20 lbs and has been riding quite a bit, so he was strong throughout the ride. I was reasonably strong for the first 20 miles or so, then I got tired legs. John and Dave were riding well, John in particular. I could tell that he has been training a lot in preparation for the Alpine Challenge coming up. I think this ride is really going to test me this year, particularly the last uphill section to get back into Alpine.



Average speed = 16.6 mph. Total mileage = 42.8 mi
Average heartrate = 154 bpm
Total elevation gain = 1380'
http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/united-states/ca/san-diego/301127032581696537

4-1-10 Ride

Solo ride over lunch, standard loop out to Poway Rd and back. It had been awhile since I had ridden, but things went okay. I found myself pedaling in a lower gear than normal much of the time. The wind helped out in a couple of places.

Average speed = 18.0 mph. Total mileage = 16.5 mi.
Total elevation gain = 620'
http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/united-states/ca/-san-diego/679125912373832912